Reviewed by: Alan Powdrell
Mel Brooks’ musical The Producers, a Tony award-winner, was controversial at the time, with its plot centred on an attempt to present a flop Broadway show called ‘Springtime for Hitler’ so that
the two producers, Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, could defraud their investors for $2 million.
The controversy may have gone, but the satirical humour remains in this lively musical skilfully directed by Wendy Revell, supported by musical director Catherine Carr and choreographer Diana Shand.
To roughly paraphrase a line from the show itself, Wednesday night’s dress rehearsal was colourful, fast-paced, energetic, tuneful and at times very funny, and the audience loved it.
The cast of 38 did not miss a beat, and their collective energy and enthusiasm was contagious.
The success of the show ultimately depends on the strength of the leads and, in particular, Jeff Foley as Max and Richard Nottage as Leo. Both clearly relished their roles and both maintained pace and precision throughout.
Foley lost some clarity in his lower register and was not always consistent accent-wise, but these were only slight blemishes on a strong, engaging performance.
His prison scene was memorable and allowed him to display his full range of skills.
Nottage as Leo Bloom was a revelation. He used his expressive face and long-limbed physique to great effect and brought a high degree of intensity to every scene. He can sing and dance and has a great sense of comic timing.
Another to make the most of his roles was William Atkin as the gay director Roger de Bries and, of course, an equally gay Adolf Hitler. Atkin as de Bries was high camp, with him using his expressive eyebrows and pouting lips and physicality to great effect.
His scene where he meets the producers for the first time was simply stunning, and he was ably supported by Daniel Reid as Carmen Ghia.
Also making the most of his role was Peter Austin as Franz Leibkin. He completely owned the stage with a huge presence created by his voice, physicality and almost manic energy.
Tamara Roscoe also shone as Ula. With her blonde wig and outrageous accent, she out-Marilyned Marilyn - that is, if the latter could really sing and dance.
The cast is too big to single out all of them individually. The usherettes were a delight, as were the ‘little old ladies’.
All supporting cast members had multiple roles in De Bries’ entourage, in the office, the show within the show and the courtroom. Their on-stage energy and focus were impressive.
What has to be singled out, however, apart from the strong singing and slick choreography, are the overall production values of the set, lighting and costume design. Of these, set design and stage management were exceptional.
With multiple and repeating scenes, anything but fast, almost seamless changes would have killed the pace of the show. The hard work paid off. What was achieved was outstanding.
The Producers, in conclusion, is possibly the perfect antidote for the accumulated hardship that so many have and still are experiencing. It has all the ingredients for a great night’s entertainment.
